July 23, 2013

Americans on their favorite airline, and other travel issues

Raleigh, N.C.- Southwest is
America's favorite airline and it's not even close. Our newest national poll
finds that 43% of voters think Southwest is the best, more than all the other
major airlines combined. Delta takes second at 11%, followed by United and Jet
Blue at 9%, American at 6%, and US Air at 5%. This is one thing that Americans
across the party spectrum agree on- Southwest wins by at least 20 points with
Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike.

58% of voters in the country have a favorable opinion of Southwest to only
5% with a negative one. The other five airlines we looked at are all clustered
in the 31-36% favorability range, with anywhere from 9 to 15% of voters seeing
them in a negative light.

By a 48/36 margin Americans say that they feel safer in a car than on a
plane. This comes despite the fact that by a 69/15 spread they think they're
more likely to die in a car crash than a plane crash...it seems like there's a
disconnect between how people respond to the plane/car issue intellectually and
emotionally.

Overall 46% of Americans say they've flown in first class on a plane to 53%
who haven't. There's a partisan divide on the issue- by a 52/47 margin
Republicans say they have flown first class, but by a 44/56 spread Democrats
say they have not.

Amtrak is a pretty popular organization among voters with an opinion about
it- 46% see it favorably to 13% with a negative opinion. Its +46 favorability
rating with Democrats at 54/8 is much better than the +20 it sports with
Republicans at 39/19.

-16% of Americans think you should be able to bring your gun onto a plane.
There's a large partisan divide on the issue with 30% of Republicans but only
6% of Democrats supportive of guns on planes. We also asked about expanded
background checks on this poll and a plurality of the people opposed to them
also think you should be able to bring your gun on the plane.

PPP surveyed 800 registered voters between July 19-21,
2013. The margin of error was +/- 3.5%. This poll was not authorized or paid
for by any campaign or political organization. PPP’s surveys are conducted
through automated telephone interviews.

Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 How often do you travel out of state: weekly,monthly, a few times per year, once or twiceper year, or almost never?Weekly ............................................................ 9%Monthly ........................................................... 17%A few times a year .......................................... 47%Once or twice a year....................................... 13%Almost never................................................... 14%

Q2 When you travel out of state, what is yourpreferred method of transport: by plane, bytrain, by bus, or by car?Plane .............................................................. 32%Train................................................................ 3%Bus ................................................................. 3%Car.................................................................. 58%Something else ............................................... 3%Not sure .......................................................... 1%

Q3 Do you feel safer on an airplane or in a car?Plane .............................................................. 36%Car.................................................................. 48%Not sure .......................................................... 17%

Q4 Do you think you are more likely to die in a carcrash or a plane crash?Car crash ........................................................ 69%Plane crash..................................................... 15%Not sure .......................................................... 15%

Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinionof United Airlines?Favorable........................................................ 33%Unfavorable .................................................... 13%Not sure .......................................................... 54%

Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinionof American Airlines?Favorable........................................................ 36%Unfavorable .................................................... 15%Not sure .......................................................... 49%

Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinionof US Airways?Favorable........................................................ 31%Unfavorable .................................................... 13%Not sure .......................................................... 56%

Q10 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinionof the airline Jet Blue?Favorable........................................................ 31%Unfavorable .................................................... 9%Not sure .......................................................... 60%

Q13 Which of the following best describes howoften you fly: on a weekly basis, at least once amonth, five to 10 times a year, less than fivetimes a year, or do you never fly at all?Weekly ............................................................ 2%At least once a month ..................................... 3%5 to 10 times a year ........................................ 20%Less than 5 times a year................................. 58%Never fly at all ................................................. 17%

Q14 What do you think is the worst thing aboutflying: the cost, the lack of space, airline food,going through security, annoying people on theplane, or something else?Cost ................................................................ 38%Lack of space.................................................. 19%Food ............................................................... 3%Security........................................................... 19%Annoying people ............................................. 6%Something else ............................................... 10%Not sure .......................................................... 4%

Q15 Do you think the security measures at airportsare necessary to keep us safe, or do you thinkthey are unnecessarily invasive?Necessary to keep us safe.............................. 68%Unnecessarily invasive ................................... 26%Not sure .......................................................... 6%

Q18 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinionof Amtrak?Favorable........................................................ 46%Unfavorable .................................................... 13%Not sure .......................................................... 40%

Q19 Do you think obese people should have to buytwo airplane seats for themselves, or not?They should .................................................... 46%They should not .............................................. 37%Not sure .......................................................... 17%

Q20 Do you think people should be able to taketheir guns on a plane, or not?They should .................................................... 16%They should not .............................................. 79%Not sure .......................................................... 6%

Q21 Are you a member of the Mile High Club, ornot?Are .................................................................. 7%Are not ............................................................ 87%Not sure .......................................................... 6%

Q24 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.Woman ........................................................... 48%Man................................................................. 52%

Q25 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,press 2. If you are an independent or identifywith another party, press 3.Democrat ........................................................ 41%Republican...................................................... 32%Independent/Other.......................................... 26%

Q27 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you areolder than 65, press 4.18 to 29........................................................... 18%30 to 45........................................................... 27%46 to 65........................................................... 35%Older than 65.................................................. 20%

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